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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 21, 2019 20:12:04 GMT 12
Terrific 1950's coloured footage here
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Post by markrogers on Oct 21, 2019 21:29:43 GMT 12
Terrific footage!
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Post by davidd on Oct 22, 2019 8:17:10 GMT 12
Looks like a P-51 in big trouble at 1.33, but not aware that any aircraft involved in strife on that deployment. A mystery. David D
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Post by davidd on Oct 22, 2019 8:35:10 GMT 12
Have now watched the whole thing, and quite a little treasure it is too! I liked the South Island Airways sign on the wall, the very casual clothing (including the officer with trousers, shoes and cap but nothing but bare skin above his belt!), the predominantly WW2 vehicles (except the Landrover and a civilian car of unknown type, although postwar), and the WW2-era Mae Wests (Waistcoat, Life Preserving, Mk. I, I think that was their official nomenclature!) Also the pilot fellow working on his own parachute on his wing, what was that all about - he definitely did not seem satisfied with it. Also intrigued by the fellow walking out to the P-51s with a small belt of .50 calibre shells coiled up in a small tray - can anybody enlighten us on what this could be all about? Finally, was rather taken aback by the fair number of curved roof hangars littered about the place until I realized that these must have been the old wartime "aircraft shelters" in which the Tiger Moths of No. 2 EFTS used to live, and be protected from the mighty Nor'westers. These shelters were later used to store the Mk. II Harvards up till the mid-1950's, at which time they were removed to Wigram to take up quite a lot of hangar space, as the plywood and malthoid "temporary" buildings at Ashburton slowly disintegrated. Wonder if the Harvards were still in them when this film was shot? David D
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Post by Damon on Oct 22, 2019 8:38:25 GMT 12
Cracker find Dave! Thanks for posting it .
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 22, 2019 9:01:43 GMT 12
Looks like a P-51 in big trouble at 1.33, but not aware that any aircraft involved in strife on that deployment. A mystery. David D I thought the same thing, I was waiting to see either a belly landing or a shot of a wreck. Must have just been doing a Ray Hanna-style beat up pass
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Post by davidd on Oct 22, 2019 10:03:57 GMT 12
Still, that mystery P-51 looks to be flying slowly, and with apparently u/c up, cannot see if flaps up or down, looks as though it is just about to lurch into the turf! Must be a model! (although I am not convinced of that proposition in the least!), and it does not look like a civilian glider either - a pity the film is so poor in focus. It has to be something.
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Post by Damon on Oct 22, 2019 10:10:55 GMT 12
I noticed at approx. 6:25 the passing P-51 NZ2427 had some kind of antenna or aerials from under the wing near the bomb rack. Any ideas?
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Post by shorty on Oct 22, 2019 10:42:01 GMT 12
Drogue attachment fitting for target towing
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Post by pjw4118 on Oct 22, 2019 10:47:30 GMT 12
Good find Dave , keep hunting
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Post by davidd on Oct 22, 2019 11:03:42 GMT 12
Just looked up when the stored Harvard IIs were transferred from Ashburton to Wigram - this occurred in February 1954, so long gone by time those Mustangs arrived! David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 22, 2019 15:10:29 GMT 12
Also the pilot fellow working on his own parachute on his wing, what was that all about - he definitely did not seem satisfied with it. He looked to be trying to lengthen the harness straps a bit? Not sure. Also intrigued by the fellow walking out to the P-51s with a small belt of .50 calibre shells coiled up in a small tray - can anybody enlighten us on what this could be all about? If you look earlier at 2.05 mins you'll see a similar roll of ammo belt being unrolled by the armourer who then starts to place it into the gun bay. I assume it is just rolled like that to make it easier to carry to the aircraft?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 22, 2019 15:12:24 GMT 12
Still, that mystery P-51 looks to be flying slowly, and with apparently u/c up, cannot see if flaps up or down, looks as though it is just about to lurch into the turf! Must be a model! (although I am not convinced of that proposition in the least!), and it does not look like a civilian glider either - a pity the film is so poor in focus. It has to be something. Definitely not a model that good, or fast, or big in the 1950's. Was there a bit of a dip in the airfield there that we cannot see? Or perhaps he'd simply gotten unintentionally too low and was lucky not to lose it completely?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 22, 2019 15:14:26 GMT 12
Just looked up when the stored Harvard IIs were transferred from Ashburton to Wigram - this occurred in February 1954, so long gone by time those Mustangs arrived! David D Do you know what date this exercise was please? The Mustangs were in use with the squadron from 1952 till 1955.
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Post by oj on Oct 22, 2019 20:15:18 GMT 12
It would be a big exercise for someone, but the film is so clear as to make almost all the personnel easily identifiable. Many would still have been serving into the 1960s. I look forward to seeing your list of names ...
I also note that typically all of the vehicle types were still in service at Wigram and Ohakea into the late 60s, maybe even much later?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 22, 2019 20:58:30 GMT 12
I look forward to seeing your list of names ... Who has a list?
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Post by davidd on Oct 22, 2019 21:11:17 GMT 12
I will be looking up the squadron scrap books at Wigram tomorrow! David D
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Post by 30sqnatc on Oct 22, 2019 23:55:45 GMT 12
Outstanding slice of history - aircraft, equipment, uniforms and you can even get a feel for attitudes/behaviour right down to the squadron cook!
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Post by planecrazy on Oct 23, 2019 14:00:18 GMT 12
Great film very impressive how well polished the service vehicles looked!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 23, 2019 15:51:39 GMT 12
One question I have about this film is there's a chunk missing at the top of the frame and seems to be a constant tear all the way through. How does this happen? I cannot fathom how a tear at the top of the film is constant throughout the whole clip. Any ideas?
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